Six arrested in Wirral on suspicion of keeping a brothel

Six people have been arrested on suspicion of keeping a brothel following an operation in Birkenhead on Wednesday.

At about 9am, approximately 40 officers raided premises in and around the Birkenhead area, including Mr Magoo's Gentlemans' Club on Grange Road East.

A search of the premises was carried out and, as a result, three men aged 49, 39 and 32 years and a 32-year-old woman, all from Prenton, and a 40-year-old man and woman, both from Birkenhead, were arrested on suspicion of keeping a brothel.

They have been taken to police stations on Merseyside where they will be questioned by detectives.

All six remain in police custody at the present time.

Detective Inspector John Griffith said: "These arrests are part of our on-going crackdown on organised criminality on the Wirral.

"We are determined to take action against offenders who can make vast sums of money through the exploitation of vulnerable women.

"It is not about targeting sex workers, who are often coerced into what they do and victims of crime themselves.

"The force works with a range of support services to help make sure that people who work in the sex industry have access to help and advice and can report crimes against them with confidence that they will be fully investigated in a sensitive way."